Mine Slave

In the dim, damp mine tunnel, Lu Ye carried a mining basket on his back and a mining pickaxe in his hand as he walked forward step by step.

The youth wore a somewhat sorrowful expression, his eyes fixed on the empty space before him as though he were staring at something.

To outsiders, there was nothing at all in front of Lu Ye. Yet in the youth's vision, he could see a translucent shadow.

It looked like the shadow of a tree, gray and hazy, impossible to make out clearly. Its branches and leaves were lush, and at a third of the way up the trunk, the boughs split to either side, supporting a semicircular canopy.

It had been more than a year since Lu Ye came to this world called the Nine Provinces, yet he still had not figured out what this thing was. He only knew that when he focused hard enough, this Shadow Tree had a chance of appearing in his vision, and no one else could detect it at all.

"What a miserable life." The youth sighed.

A year ago, he had abruptly awakened in this unfamiliar world. Before he could even get his bearings, the faction he belonged to had been seized by a band of thieves. Many people were killed, while he and several other young men and women became the thieves' captives. They were then sent to this mine vein and turned into lowly mine slaves.

Only afterward did he learn from scattered conversations that the faction he had belonged to was a sect called the Mystic Heaven Sect, which was under the Vast Sky Alliance.

The name of this sect sounded cool, wild, and overbearing, but in truth, it was merely a minor sect that barely made the grade.

The ones who had seized the Mystic Heaven Sect were Evil Moon Valley, under Myriad Demon Ridge.

The Vast Sky Alliance and Myriad Demon Ridge were the two major factional powers of this world. Both were formed from countless large and small forces, and they had been crushing and fighting one another in an attempt to completely eliminate the other for several centuries, or so it was said.

In Lu Ye's view, this conflict was simply a clash between the orderly camp and the evil camp. He had merely been unfortunate enough to get swept into this great tide of confrontation.

Throughout the years, war had ravaged the Nine Provinces Continent. Every year, small forces like the Mystic Heaven Sect were uprooted, yet even more forces sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain, occupying territory everywhere and making the situation ever more chaotic.

A mine slave was a mine slave... Lu Ye consoled himself. Compared to those who had been killed, at least he was still alive.

He had not survived because he possessed any special abilities. Evil Moon Valley simply needed menial laborers, and people like Lu Ye—young and without cultivation—were undoubtedly the best choice.

In fact, the mine slaves in this mine vein were not solely from the Mystic Heaven Sect. There were also disciples from other small clans and sects.

Evil Moon Valley was not weak. Over the years, it had seized quite a bit of territory, and the original forces on those lands had naturally been destroyed. Some of the useful manpower among them was sent by Evil Moon Valley to various places to be enslaved.

Without exception, these people shared one trait: their Apertures had not been Opened, and they possessed no cultivation, making them easy to control.

There was a saying on the Nine Provinces Continent: demons that do not open their apertures struggle to take human form; people that do not open their apertures struggle to cultivate.

To cultivate, one had to open Spiritual Apertures. Only after opening Spiritual Apertures did one qualify to cultivate.

Opening Spiritual Apertures was no simple matter. Among ordinary people, only about one in a hundred could open them after systematic training. Those born into cultivation clans or sects, with guidance from their elders, might have a somewhat higher rate.

Lu Ye had failed to open his own Spiritual Apertures, so he could only make a living mining in this dim mine tunnel.

But mine slaves were not without a way out. If they successfully opened their apertures and reported it to the steward, they would have a chance to take an assessment. If they passed, they could become disciples of Evil Moon Valley.

However, very few mine slaves could open their apertures. Laboring all day in this gloomy environment, unable even to eat their fill—how could they possibly open them?

Thus, ninety-nine percent of mine slaves had resigned themselves to their fate, working painfully each day for nothing more than a full meal.

Lu Ye felt no sense of belonging toward the Mystic Heaven Sect. After all, the sect had been destroyed the moment he arrived in this world, and he did not know any of its members.

Nor did he wish to become a disciple of Evil Moon Valley. It was not a decent force; just hearing its name gave off an evil feeling. Sooner or later, it would go under.

But he could not possibly spend his entire life cowering here as a mine slave. What kind of life would that be? He was, after all, an elite of the new era. What was the difference between a person without dreams and a salted fish?

So over the past year, he had been striving to open his apertures. At first, he thought the Shadow Tree that only he could see might offer him some mysterious help, but even now, it remained only a shadow. Not only had it provided no help whatsoever, it sometimes even interfered with his eyesight.

Lu Ye seriously suspected that there was something wrong with his eyes.

After turning a corner, he saw a faint glimmer in the distance. It was one of the mine tunnel's exits.

Today's haul was not bad. Handing in the ore in his mining basket should earn him three contribution points. Added to what he had accumulated over the past few days, he should have around twelve. Two could be exchanged for two steamed buns, while the remaining ten were just enough for a Qi and Blood Pill.

The Qi and Blood Pill was a very low-grade medicinal pill. It did not aid in opening apertures, but to open apertures, one's qi and blood had to be abundant. Though low-grade, the Qi and Blood Pill was perfectly suited for someone like Lu Ye, whose apertures had not been opened.

Evil Moon Valley was willing to offer Qi and Blood Pills not out of kindness, but because they understood the human heart. This cheapest and lowest-grade pill could make those who still held hope work even harder at mining.

Like Lu Ye... he was very diligent every day.

There were still thirty zhang to the mine tunnel exit when Lu Ye's gaze casually swept across a corner to his left. A massive boulder lay there, blocking the way.

Without slowing, he continued forward. Only when he was about ten zhang away did he set down the mining basket on his back, tighten his grip on the mining pickaxe, and pull out a suitably sized stone from the basket. He weighed it lightly in his hand.

The next moment, he sprinted toward the boulder. Just before reaching it, he slid sideways, planted one foot against the mine tunnel wall, and used the rebound to dive behind the boulder like an agile leopard.

Two figures were crouching behind the boulder, using it to conceal themselves. They had never imagined that the approaching person would discover them.

Hearing the commotion and seeing Lu Ye, it was already too late for them to rise.

Under their horrified gazes, Lu Ye raised his hand and hurled the ore in it, striking one of them squarely on the bridge of the nose. The man immediately let out a miserable cry and fell backward, blood streaming down his face.

Lu Ye swung the mining pickaxe in his other hand, but failed to hit the second man. The man reacted well and tilted his head aside to evade it.

But Lu Ye had already rushed in front of him. One kick landed squarely on his lower abdomen, and the man's face twisted in agony as he was sent tumbling away. He dropped to his knees and vomited a mouthful of sour fluid.

Lu Ye stepped forward, seized the man by the hair with one hand, and saw his face clearly. He sneered. "So it's you two brothers!"

He knew these two. They were disciples of the Liu Family. After the Liu Family's territory had been taken by Evil Moon Valley, some of the Liu Family's younger disciples had been sent here to serve as mine slaves.

Strictly speaking, Lu Ye and the Liu Brothers were fellow sufferers in the same boat.

"Didn't I tell you not to let me see you again, or I'd kill you?" As Lu Ye spoke, he casually picked up a stone from the ground and smashed it down viciously.

The blow was no light one. Second Liu merely groaned before being knocked unconscious.

Lu Ye then walked toward Oldest Liu, whom he had injured earlier.

Oldest Liu's forehead had been smashed open, and blood blurred his eyes. Vaguely seeing Lu Ye approaching, he was so frightened that he scrambled backward on hands and knees. "Spare us! My brother and I didn't know it was you coming—we thought it was someone else... Spare us!"

The Liu Brothers had sneakily ambushed people before the mine tunnel exit, so naturally, they had no good intentions.

Before being captured, these two had both been pampered. Even after becoming mine slaves, they were unwilling to endure hardship. But mine slaves were lowly, and the people of Evil Moon Valley did not regard them as human at all. Without exchanging ore for contribution points, they could not obtain food.

Thus, the two brothers often lurked near one of the mine tunnel exits, robbing lone mine slaves. Quite a few people had suffered at their hands, losing not only the ore they had painstakingly mined each day, but also being beaten half to death.

The last time, they had tried to rob Lu Ye, only to find themselves outmatched and get taught a lesson instead.

Who would have thought that only a few days later, he would run into the two brothers again?

The same rice fed a hundred different kinds of people. Among the mine slaves were people like the Liu Brothers, lazy and greedy for food, as well as people like Lu Ye, who carried dreams in their hearts.

Over the past year, aside from ensuring he had enough to eat each day, Lu Ye had exchanged every contribution point he earned from ore for Qi and Blood Pills.

All told, he had consumed no fewer than thirty Qi and Blood Pills.

This had given Lu Ye a physique stronger than that of most mine slaves. Though he did not look particularly brawny, the strength hidden within his body had already surpassed that of ordinary people.

Dealing with two lazy mine slaves was naturally no trouble at all.

Oldest Liu was still begging for mercy, but Lu Ye acted as though he had not heard. He grabbed the man's hair, raised the stone in his other hand, and smashed it down fiercely.

Over more than a year as a mine slave, Lu Ye had witnessed too many tragedies. He had long understood one principle: in this world where people ate people, any mercy or sympathy was useless.

The mine slaves were not harmonious either. Mine slaves from different factions were destined to be unable to unite. For a single high-quality piece of ore, mine slaves often fought until their heads were smashed and blood flowed.

People died in the mine tunnels every day. Every short distance, one could see a set of dry bones scattered on the ground.

There was no shortage of mine slaves who had been robbed and starved to death.

Oldest Liu fell at the blow.

Lu Ye retrieved his mining pickaxe, slung the mining basket onto his back once more, and headed for the exit. He had not spared the Liu Brothers out of softheartedness; injured mine slaves generally did not live long here.

After only a few steps, someone suddenly rushed in through the exit in a fluster.

"Get out of the way!" the man barked, sweeping a palm toward Lu Ye.

At that instant, Lu Ye's entire body turned icy cold, for he saw a pale blue light flowing across the man's palm.

That was the light of Spiritual Power. In other words, the person attacking him was a cultivator!

Only after opening Spiritual Apertures did one qualify to cultivate, and only then did one qualify to be called a cultivator.

A cultivator's Spiritual Power was an extraordinarily wondrous force. Lu Ye had once seen a cultivator from Evil Moon Valley make a move. Though it had not seemed especially mighty, that person had merely slapped lightly with his palm and shattered a piece of ore. It was precisely because he had witnessed that wondrous sight that Lu Ye had resolved to open his own Spiritual Apertures and become a cultivator.

He had also secretly assessed that even the weakest cultivator in Evil Moon Valley could easily beat ten of him.

Thus, when he realized that the one attacking him was a cultivator, Lu Ye knew that disaster was upon him.

At the brink of life and death, he forcibly halted his advance and sprang backward.

His chest went numb, followed by the sound of bones breaking. Lu Ye was sent flying and crashed to the ground.

The intense pain cleared his mind considerably. Once he realized he was still alive, he immediately got to his feet.

"Huh!" The cultivator who had attacked him was somewhat surprised. Though he had not used his full strength in that strike and had merely slapped out casually, it should not have been something a mine slave could withstand.

Using the faint light to see the mine slave's face, he blurted out, "Lu Ye?"

Lu Ye had already assumed a posture to turn and flee. Upon hearing the voice, he was equally astonished. "Steward Yang?"

This cultivator surnamed Yang was a minor steward at the mine. Lu Ye dealt with him often, since he exchanged Qi and Blood Pills through him, so they were fairly familiar with one another.

Steward Yang thought highly of Lu Ye. Mine slaves as hardworking and willing to endure hardship as him were rare.

But thinking highly of him was one thing; there was no special treatment. So long as Lu Ye had not opened his apertures, an uncrossable gulf remained between an ordinary person like him and a cultivator.

After recognizing Lu Ye, Steward Yang understood why his palm strike had failed to kill him. Lu Ye had exchanged quite a few Qi and Blood Pills from him over the past year, so his physical constitution was already stronger than that of ordinary mine slaves. Moreover, Steward Yang had only struck casually and had not deliberately intended to kill him. It was not strange for Lu Ye to have survived.

Facing Steward Yang, Lu Ye's heart pounded like a drum.

Cultivators from Evil Moon Valley generally did not concern themselves with whether mine slaves lived or died. They knew that mine slaves often fought within the mine vein, and unless they witnessed it themselves, they basically ignored it.

Lu Ye had just beaten the Liu Brothers bloody and unconscious, and then Steward Yang had turned around and struck him with his palm. In Lu Ye's eyes, Steward Yang was clearly disciplining him.

But he soon felt that something was off. When Steward Yang had rushed in, he had looked flustered and panicked. He did not seem to be standing up for the Liu Brothers.

While Lu Ye's thoughts ran wild, Steward Yang revealed a delighted expression, as if running into Lu Ye here were a good thing. He stepped forward, grabbed Lu Ye by the shoulder, and said, "Come with me!"